Let's Start Over
by skylargould04
Summary: Hermione and Draco actually have a civil conversation in the prefects bathroom and don't end up biting each other's heads off. Will Draco and Hermione finally get along after all those years of arguing and teasing each other?


Hermione felt relaxed as the warm water trickled down her back. She loved getting into the shower and watching the water fall down in front of her eyes. It put her mind at ease. She had plenty to worry about too.

There was an essay to be done for Herbology by the end of the week, and Hermione planned to get it done at least three days before the due date. She also had a test in Charms coming up soon. Hermione wanted to be prepared because it's supposedly the final grade to be taken this semester in this class and she wanted to do well.

She couldn't help remembering the lesson Professor Slughorn taught today though. He had given a lecture about Amortentia, the strongest love potion in the wizarding world.

He had asked her to demonstrate how this love potion works. She had told him that the potion smells different for each person, and smells like what they're attracted to. She had smelt parchment, apples, and cologne. She thought it to be quite an odd combination, but it seemed rather familiar to her. She couldn't place her finger on it though.

She was still pondering the thought in her head when she heard the door creak. Hermione pulled the shower curtain away, and peeked outside. The door remained closed, and no one was inside of the prefects bathroom except her.

"Well that was rather odd," she said to herself and pulled the curtain back.

Hermione had finished bathing, and was just stepping out when the door knob clicked open. The door was only opened a sliver, but Hermione ran to it dripping water all over the floor in the process. She slammed the door shut, and put her back to it blocking the door.

"The bathroom is occupied at the moment," Hermione said frantically.

"Granger, is that you?" Draco asked through the door.

"Malfoy? Yes it's me, now can I get dressed in private now?"

She took his silence as a yes, and continued to get dressed. Once she had finished and was fixing her hair, he called out to her.

"Is it safe to come in yet?"

She was startled because she hadn't realized he still lingered outside the door. Coming back to her senses she gave an eye roll and allowed him to come in.

"Professor Slughorn's lesson today was rather eccentric don't you think?"

She turned around to face him, clearly making a mistake for he was shirtless and undressing at the moment, so she held up her hand to shield her eyes and turned back around, horrified.

"Could you please warn me next time and wait until I'm a safe distance away?"

He laughed, "Clearly it's your fault for turning around."

"Ugh, you just like making me suffer don't you?"

"Maybe," he smiled to himself, "What did you think of Slughorn's lesson today?" He repeated.

"Well I guess it was a bit unusual for him to be teaching about such a compassionate topic. Professor Slughorn teaching us about a love potion. That's something that doesn't happen everyday. I mean I know we have to know it for our O.W.Ls, but I don't think this was Professor Slughorn's subject to teach."

"Yeah, you're probably right."

"Wait a minute did I just hear Draco Malfoy say that I'm right? This really is a strange day."

Hermione pulls her hair into two braids, as Draco closes the shower curtain behind him and steps into the shower.

"So since we're actually talking to each other like civil people, do you mind if I asked you what you smelled in the potion since we're on the topic. I want to know if anybody else smelled anything stranger than what I had smelled earlier."

"I smelled something weird too. I can't remember exactly, but I'm pretty sure it was apricots, some kind of vanilla perfume, and…….um I think daisies? Yeah I think that's right."

Hermione's whole body went numb and the color drained from her face. "Um...did you say daisies and vanilla perfume?"

"Uh, yeah and apricots. Is something wrong?"

Apricots? She felt as if she was going to faint.

"Oh...uh, n-no," she said shakily.

 _Yes there's something wrong. **I** wear vanilla perfume, **I** like apricots, and **my** favorite flower is a daisy._

"Okayyyyy," Draco said puzzled.

Hermione knew she had to get out of there because if she didn't she was sure to faint.

"Um..well I'm going to head back to the dorms now. Thanks for the uh… interesting conversation Malfoy.

"See you around Granger."

Hermione fled the room as quickly as she could. _How in the world could Draco Malfoy possibly have smelled my perfume in that potion. Wait, does that mean, no. It couldn't be, but the potion smells like what a person is attracted to. Draco Malfoy can't possibly be attracted to me. He hates me! No hate is too strong of a word, it's more like he despises me or strongly dislikes me. I think he dislikes me. Ugh so confusing. Merlin, in my hurry to get out the door I forgot my hairbrush in the bathroom._

Hermione made her way back to the prefects bathroom and knocked on the door. There was no answer, and so she let herself in. She could hear the shower running, but Draco didn't seem to take notice of Hermione's presence. She grabbed her hairbrush, and was just about to turn back to the door when she noticed a bottle of cologne.

She picked it up to inspect it. She gasped.

"Granger are you still in here?"

Hermione flew through the door even faster than before. She was speechless. That had been Draco's cologne. His cologne is what she had smelt in Potions Class. She had smelled him, and he had smelled her. They were both attracted to each other's scent.

Hermione sat on her bed in the prefects dorm, and sat there thinking and processing everything that had just happened. She still couldn't believe she was attracted to Draco Malfoy. He was just a ferret face after all.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Draco walked through the door. She looked up at him.

"You smelled apricots, vanilla perfume, and daisies in the potion, correct?"

"Okay weird way to start a conversation, but yes I believe I did. Why are asking?"

He walked over to sit on his own bed, smoothed the covers down and looked over at her with a confused look.

"I happened to smell apples, parchment, and expensive cologne. Sound familiar?"

Draco paled, "Yeah, it does."

"Oh, and I happen to wear vanilla perfume, my favorite flower is a daisy, and I like apricots."

Hermione pulled her knees to her chest.

"Oh, so we're attracted to each other's scent."

Hermione felt proud that he had caught on so quickly. If it had been Ron or Harry it would have been a totally different story.

"Seems so," she replied.

Draco grinned and looked over at her.

"What, is there something on me?" She put her hands to her face.

"No, but I um…. well I have a confession to make."

She wore a puzzled expression, but gave a nod for him to finish.

"I've… ugh this is really awkward and it's going to sound weird."

"Not as weird as Professor Slughorn teaching us about love potions I bet."

They both shared a laugh, and looked at each other. They both couldn't believe they were actually talking to each other, let alone making jokes.

"Uh I don't know um…" he smiled down at the ground and looked up at her. "I've actually been attracted to you for quite a while I must confess."

"Really?" She felt her heart flutter. The feeling of shock and disgust had completely left her now and had been replaced with pleasure.

"Yeah, I know I've been a real jerk to you in the past though. Do you think we could possibly start over?"

"Well you're right about being a jerk, but you're finally talking to me like a civilized person. We haven't fought once tonight." Hermione thought hard. Could he change or has he already? No, not yet, but it seems as if he wants to. Maybe someone just needs to help him become a better person.

"I think that will be acceptable," Hermione stated.

"Okay then. My name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy." Draco smiled and held out his hand for her to shake.

"I'm Hermione Granger," Hermione also smiled and shook his hand.

"Pleasure to meet you Mrs. Granger."

"Please, call me Hermione."

"It's nice to meet you Hermione," he smiled a genuine smile.

"It's nice to meet you too Draco," she smiled back.

 _Maybe this won't be so bad after all._


End file.
